Problems of Forensic Sciences 2010 Vol. 82 (LXXXII) 191-199
MEDICOLEGAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ISOPROPANOL LEVELS IN POST-MORTEM MATERIAL
Joanna NOWICKA, Joanna KULIKOWSKA, Czesław CHOWANIEC, Teresa GRABOWSKA, Rafał CELIŃSKI, Małgorzata KORCZYŃSKA, Kornelia DROŹDZIOK
Department of Forensic Medicine and Medicolegal Toxicology, The Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
Streszczenie
In forensic toxicology, isopropanol (2-propanol) is an alcohol that is classified as an ethanol substitute. Recently, the number of positive tests for the presence of isopropanol in post-mortem material analysed in the Department of Medicolegal Toxicology, Chair of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, has substantially increased. This phenomenon is probably related to the large quantities of spirits denatured with isopropanol which have been sold illegally in recent years. In this paper, problems in preparing expert opinions were discussed based on selected cases where the presence of isopropanol and acetone in postmortem biological material was detected. The importance of chemical-toxicological studies of collected biological material and the usefulness of histopathology as an important diagnostic tool for determining the cause of death were pointed out. The role of each element (component) in formulating conclusions in medicolegal and forensic opinions was discussed.
Słowa kluczowe
Isopropanol; Post-mortem material; Expert opinions.